New global service combines M2M remote tracking technology with expert personnel and proven processes to monitor reefer equipment and perishable cargo status round the clock
New Jersey & SHANGHAI, March 24, 2015 – M2M telematics and cloud computing are now giving shipping lines, transport operators, logistics providers, shippers and other cold chain members unprecedented visibility and control over refrigerated equipment and perishable cargo moving worldwide. But actively managing this stream of real-time information is critical to reaping the operational, cost and cargo care benefits of the growing ‘Internet of Transport Things’. A new service just launched by M2M intermodal cold chain tracking specialist WAM Technologies LLC(WAM) and affiliate Mark-it Services (MIS), North America’s leading provider of reefer monitoring and protective services, does just that.
The ReeferWatch® Global Cargo Monitoring Service (GCMS) gives clients of WAM’s M2Connect cloud-based asset management platform access to MIS’s specialist reefer monitoring personnel and processes. The MIS team, based in New Jersey, USA, will watch live reefer load data captured by the M2Connect system, on a 24/7 basis or as required – for instance overnight or at weekends when clients’ own monitoring personnel are not available.
The MIS team will be able to remotely adjust out-of-spec temperature settings via M2Connect, where authorised, and will alert clients and nominated subcontractors – such as ships’ agents and reefer service providers – when M2Connect raises an alarm that requires physical intervention anywhere in the world. That could be a temperature deviation, equipment failure, unplugged reefer container, or genset with no power; all issues that can endanger the safe delivery of perishable cargo.
Users will also be warned of any digression from scheduled transport routing and depot/terminal/DC locations, using M2Connect’s geo-fencing capabilities, helping to prevent tampering, theft and other fraud.
The new global ‘concierge’ service draws on MIS’s established ReeferWatch® software and Intermodal Coldchain Management Services (ICMS) for refrigerated containers and related assets moving across North America’s intermodal transport network. With 25 years’ experience, MIS currently manages over 95% of North American intermodal reefer moves for all the major container shipping lines, from in-gate origin to out-gate destination, providing services including tracking, monitoring, inspection, repair and refuelling.
The MIS ReeferWatch® software is a hardware agnostic real-time reefer tracking, inspection and repair data collection platform. The software captures reefer monitoring data from multiple wireless telemetry systems, including M2Connect. ReeferWatch is also integrated via EDI with the booking and dispatch systems of most of the world’s shipping lines, plus the North American railroads. The system already manages over 1 million reefer transactions, shipments and bookings per year and will now form part of the ReeferWatch GCMS service.
“Wireless M2M telemetry provides a powerful tool for validating and improving the performance of refrigerated transport operations worldwide, but like any tool it still needs people to use it, ” said Parvez Mansuri, CIO, WAM Technologies. “For organizations who prefer to outsource rather than developing in-house monitoring staff – or who just need extra support to supplement their own teams – ReeferWatch CMS delivers a powerful combination of proven technology, knowledgeable people and robust processes.”
“After 25 years providing reefer services across North America, MIS is delighted to partner with our sister company WAM Technologies to offer our monitoring expertise on a global basis, ” added Mark Heck, CEO of Mark-It Services.
ReeferWatch® GCMS was officially unveiled on the opening day of the Intermodal Asia show in Shanghai, where WAM Technologies is exhibiting and speaking.
